Unexpected
by crazycaryz
Summary: Everything happens unexpectedly. Gou didn't expect to fall when she was dancing so well. Makoto didn't expect that he'd ring the doorbell at the wrong time. The Iwatobi Swim Club didn't expect that out of all their friends, these two would be the ones to fall for each other - in the most unexpected ways. MakoGou
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! I got hit by inspiration to write my Free! OTP - MakoGou! Flashbacks FTW. I think this turned out nicely, considering it's a spur-of-the-moment idea... I hope you guys like it! I'm going to write Makoto's POV after this, so it's not a one-shot. It might be a two-shot, or a three-shot, or a four-shot... it all depends on how many ideas I get. It could be the longest fic I write... or the shortest. It's undecided. Write in and tell me what you think, ok? :) **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Free! or any of its characters. Sadly. Or else I'd have kidnapped Makoto for myself. :D**

* * *

"A few more laps, and you boys have to go home, okay?" Amakata-sensei calls out, fanning herself underneath the cool shade of the umbrella she toted. As much as she knew the boys loved swimming, they had to go soon or the school guards would kick them out. The sun was setting in the distance, bathing the pool a warm yellow.

"Okay!" Nagisa hollers from the far end of the pool. He's doing a weird dance, calling Rei to swim over to him. The latter is panting as he awkwardly paddles over using a kickboard.

"Gou-chan," Amakata-sensei says. The redhead turns at her name. "I'll be going first. Make sure the boys go home on time."

"Okay," Gou says, smiling at the teacher. As soon Amakata-sensei is out of sight, Gou turns back to the pool, her legs swishing in the cool chlorinated water. She's sitting at the edge of the pool, eating a popsicle in the hot summer weather.

Her bright ruby-red eyes scan the pool. Nagisa is swimming away from Rei, calling him to chase him. Sometimes, Gou wonders how Rei puts up with Nagisa. But, the blue-haired boy is certainly known for his stubborn perseverance.

A splash is heard from the other end, and Gou finds Haruka swimming fluidly. _Haruka-senpai swims beautifully, _she mused. Even after all this while, Haruka's gorgeous swimming leaves Gou awestruck. Haruka stands up in the middle of the pool to flip his hair. Gou giggles when he looks at her funnily and waves.

There's another splash, a bigger one this time, and it's from the other end of the pool as well. Makoto swims on his back, looking up at the orange sky. His eyes are blocked by goggles, but Gou – and everyone else – can tell that underneath that serious expression, his eyes are eternally smiling.

_Makoto-senpai._

Gou flushes a little bit, watching him as he moves every bit as graceful as Haruka – just in a different way. His mouth is fixed in a smile, perhaps from the astounding wonder of the summer sky. His arm hits the wall of the pool, the same wall that Gou is sitting on, and he stands up straight, taking the swimming cap and his goggles off.

"Makoto-senpai," Gou smiles. "That was great! You looked so graceful." _Oh no! Did I really say that out loud! _Gou mentally slapped herself.

However, Makoto, being the ever-kind person he is, doesn't seem to mind. "Thank you, Gou-chan," he says, giving her a sweet smile. Gou doesn't know how to react at this – Makoto gives everyone sweet smiles all the time – so why is it bothering her?

"Uh…uh… you're welcome, Makoto-senpai," she says gently, looking down and smiling. She can't see Makoto from this angle, but she knows that he smiled again, and from the tinier splash this time she knows he's swimming another lap.

Gou groans a little, nibbling on that stubborn bit of hard ice in her popsicle. _Since when does seeing Makoto-senpai make me so unnerved? _She pouted silently.

But as her eyes stray to the club's captain, swimming the world's most beautiful backstroke, her mind wanders as well, to a memory she never knew she kept in the back of her mind…

* * *

_Gou had never been an athlete. She couldn't swim, she couldn't run, she couldn't throw balls. Heck, she just wasn't good with moving. Sometimes, she stumbled on her own feet. Sometimes, she tripped even when there was nothing to trip over. And one time when Rin and her were younger, their mother had brought them ice-skating. It left Gou with a cut lip and a broken wrist. Ten-year-old Gou had never been so traumatized. _

_But, Gou loved dancing. Loved it, didn't mean she was good at it. Rin embarrassed her once by catching her dancing to tunes in her bedroom. "Get out, Onii-chan!" she had hollered, leaving Rin laughing at his sister as he ran down the stairs. _

_She never went for dancing lessons, and they didn't have a computer then, so Gou learnt dancing from the old TV shows her mother would watch. She remembered creeping down in the middle of the night, slipping her mom's recorded tapes in to watch, and then going back to bed feeling inspired. Perhaps her mom knew of her secret, as Gou found new episodes every single night. And with each new episode, Gou's love for dancing grew even more._

_She cursed herself for being so clumsy. When she tried to dance, she'd fall flat on the floor, or stub her toe on the shelf. She could only do basic arm movements. She tried to do ballet once but that resulted in a broken vase she kicked._

_After that one time he caught her, Rin learned that Gou was passionate about dancing. "I'll help you," he said. Gou remembered looking up to her brother in tears as he held her hand. "When you fall, you get up. Onii-chan supports you." _

_Gou was so happy. She had always supported Rin when it came to swimming, so she was ecstatic that he supported her hobby too. It took two to tango, and ballroom dance too, and the Matsuoka siblings spent their free afternoons dancing to cheesy ballroom music in the living room. _

_However, Rin wasn't that good of a dancer after all, and it took ten minutes for Gou to figure out her brother couldn't help her. Rin had apologized profusely, and Gou understood – perhaps bad dancing ran in the Matsuoka family? _

_But did that mean she could never learn to dance? _

* * *

_After Rin went to Australia, Gou forgot about dancing. Without her brother's help, there wasn't any way she could dance without a partner. Even for solo dancing, there wasn't anyone Gou trusted to not laugh at her when she fell._

_So she shoved her love of dancing to the back of her head._

_Even when Rin returned, he had changed so much Gou didn't think he wouldn't scoff at her should she bring the subject up. And with her being the manager of the Iwatobi swim club, Gou had a lot of things on her hands. They trained almost every single day. Of course, the swim team did have time off, but now that her mind was so focused on the team's success she didn't think about dancing at all._

_That was until – _

"_Gou-chan!" Nagisa exclaimed excitedly. "This club is amazing! There's a pool, and there are also tennis courts, and mini golf courses and – "_

"_It's KOU! And usage of the pool is free, so I thought why not?" Gou said. "We can't swim in the school pool during winter, and this lovely offer just came up because of your performance in prefecturals! Isn't that great!" _

"_To the regionals!" Nagisa cheered. The happy blonde skipped towards the pool, with Rei frantically running behind. Haruka needed no persuasion to swim, so he walked along behind with Makoto. Gou beamed, and skipped behind them._

I can't believe I actually got this pool's rental for free! _Gou thought happily. As the guys trained, Gou and Amakata-sensei watched, while chitchatting at the same time. _

_After a good hour, Gou felt her stomach growl. "I'm getting hungry," she said. "Shall I go get some food for you guys as well?" _

_The guys gave her a thumbs up – well, Nagisa let out a happy squeal and Makoto merely smiled – and Amataka-sensei gave her enough money to get them all a snack. Gou got up, and walked to the cafeteria. But not before…_

"_Eh?" she said. There were a few doors – rooms for different games – along the walkway, but one caught Gou's eye. The plaque above it read 'Dance Studio 1'. _

_Gou felt her heartbeat quicken. After all this time… she never knew she still had a passion for dancing! She looked around for guards before creaking the door open. Hopefully no one would catch her and kick her out for not paying rental._

_She closed the door behind her and flipped the light switch on. It was a ballet dance studio, with the bars and piano and everything. Gou's eyes widened, and she nearly let out a squeal. She took her shoes off, and walked on the smooth wooden floor. _

"_Can I…?" She tried to remember movements from the videos she'd watched, and then she didn't have to try at all. The moves came naturally – watching them every night certainly helped. Gou smiled as she felt her feet and hands move naturally – had she been relieved of her clumsiness? She gasped when she realized she'd been dancing for a full minute – she hadn't tripped yet!_

"_Yes! Yes!" she giggled. Then she attempted to do one-person ballroom dancing. It was rather awkward at first, but Gou giggled, and moved around the room holding an invisible man. She swayed and turned and tried to dip – _

"_Oh no!" she gasped. She could feel her feet slipping from beneath her. The ground was nearing, and she braced herself for the impact. _Please don't let me break something or sprain something or hurt myself the guys and Amachan-sensei are going to be suspicious please –

"_Careful, Gou-chan!" Gou opened her eyes, not realizing she'd actually closed them out of fear. She gasped as her ruby orbs met emerald green ones. She scrambled around, realizing she wasn't on the floor as expected. "Makoto-senpai?!" she exclaimed._

_Makoto looked worried. He stared at her accusingly. "You have to be more careful, Gou-chan," he told her. When he set her down, only did Gou realize he had been holding her waist to support her. She blushed a little. "T-thank you, Makoto-senpai," she said, in a whisper._

_Makoto smiled at her. "Were you dancing just now, Gou-chan?" Gou's cheeks flared up. "O-of course not! Who would do one-person ballroom dancing…" Her voice trailed off as she saw Makoto smiling at her knowingly. She gave up. "Oh what the heck. Yes. You saw everything, didn't you?"_

_Then it was her turn to accuse Makoto. "How did you get here, anyway?" Was he following her? The thought of Makoto stalking her sent shudders down her spine._

_Makoto looked at her bewildered. "I wanted to go help you carry the food," he said. "I thought that maybe you might need help. After all, you _were _supposed to buy food for six people. I figured you couldn't carry it all." _

_Gou's expression softened. _He wanted to help? _"Makoto-senpai… you're too kind," Gou smiled at him. "But thank you. For both offering to carry the food – which I kinda haven't bought yet – and catching me."_

_Makoto let out a chuckle. "Do you know how to dance, Gou-chan?" He went totally off-topic._

_Gou looked at the floor, embarrassed. "No… but ever since I was a kid, I loved to dance. I sucked terribly at it, though – still do."_

_Makoto held his hand out to her, and she stared at it. "Eh?" she asked. "Well, then, would you like me to teach you?" he offered._

"_Makoto-senpai… you know how to ballroom dance?" Gou asked. "You know how to _dance_?"_

_Makoto laughed. "Yeah, a bit surprising, isn't it? My oto-san wanted me to learn it when I was young. Said dancing was the mark of a gentleman." As soon as he said that, he realized what he said and both his and Gou's cheeks flared. "Ah! I'm sorry! That sounded a little self-centered," he apologized._

_Gou looked at him. With the light coming from behind him, Makoto looked like he was glowing. _Gentleman Makoto… _"No, that's ok," Gou said, smiling at him. "I'd love it if you could teach me, Makoto-senpai." _

_Makoto smiled. "As long as we don't get caught." _

_As he put his hand on her waist to draw her in closer, Gou could barely make out the words coming from his mouth. "Hand on my shoulder… hold the other hand… now, left foot…" Gou merely interpreted them as sounds. She had never been so close to Makoto before, and this was an all new experience. _

Makoto-senpai… he smells like lavender and apples, if that's even possible…

_His strong arms held her, and Gou could make out the rippling muscles. His shirt was damp, probably from a hasty throwing-on after swim practice, and Gou loved how it stuck to his body, showing it off. His kind voice and sweet smile engulfed her, and Gou felt like she could be in paradise…_

"_Gou-chan?" Makoto's expression turned into a confused one. Gou shook her head to bring herself back to reality. "Huh?" she asked._

"_Were you listening to me? I said left foot…" Makoto smiled down at her, and Gou stared at him for a moment before registering what he said. She smiled herself, and moved her left foot…_

_As they danced, both of them forgot about the possibility of guards catching them, or the food they were supposed to buy, or that the swim team just might find them both in a scrambled pile on the smooth wooden floor, limbs entangled and the two of them laughing as they try to get up to dance…_

* * *

"Gou-chan? GOU-CHAN!" Nagisa screamed in her face. "EH?!" Gou shrieked as she was violently brought back to the now. "Nagisa!" she shouted. "Don't scare me like that! What was that for?"

"You were zoning out, and we have to go, or the guards will kick us out," Nagisa said matter-of-factly. Gou frowned a little, before realizing the sun had completely set and the swim team were all dressed and ready to go. "Oh, alright," she said, standing up. It was then did she realized how long she had sat in that position. Her legs were falling asleep.

As the five made their way to the train station, Gou caught herself looking over at Makoto countless times. _No! _she thought, shaking her head furiously. _Must… not…_

"Gou-chan?" Nagisa poked her shoulder. "Aieee!" She screamed again, before realizing it was just Nagisa. "Stop doing that. What is it?"

Nagisa mused. "Well, I was just wondering why you're spacing out. Are you thinking about something?"

"EH?!" Gou exclaimed. The other swim team members turned to look at them. "Gou-chan?" Makoto asked. "Is everything…"

"YES!" she exclaimed again. "Everything's perfectly fine. Just fine..." She tried not to flush as she ran past him, heading for the train station.

"What's up with Gou-chan?" Nagisa asked, as they watched her ponytail bob as she ran.

"Probably just that… time of the month," Rei guessed. Nagisa turned to him. "Rei-chan! I never knew you were so smart!" he said.

"What does that mean?" Rei exclaimed back, and the two began to bicker. Makoto tried not to laugh at the two, but he found himself looking at Gou's silhouette in the distance.

"Ne, Haru-chan. Do you think there's something wrong with Gou-chan?" he asked Haruka. Haruka looked at Makoto, then back at Gou's silhouette, then back at Makoto's worried expression gazing into the distance. Haruka smiled – something rare for him.

"I don't think you have to worry, Mako."


	2. Chapter 2

**OH MY GOSH. _Thank you all so much _for the reviews, follows and favorites! They certainly were... unexpected. xD It's nice to know there are so many fellow MakoGou shippers around! OwO **

**I'm so sorry for the wait. I had the first half typed out for quite a while, but then what with school and upcoming exams... please forgive me! ;^; thank you for sticking around! **

**Also a note: the chapters are in chronological order, but the flashbacks aren't! Meaning, this chapter happens after the first, but the flashback in this chapter happened somewhere just before the flashback in the first chapter. This explains why he calls her Gou-chan and not Kou-chan. xP apologies if it's confusing.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Free! or MakoGou would've been canon from the start. :P **

* * *

It was the weekend, and Nagisa had suggested that the swim team have a little break. Swimming practically 24/7 was taking its toll on the team, and everyone – except for Haruka – admitted they needed to take a rest.

So when Nagisa suggested they have a Saturday night out, nobody objected. The plans were made and done; they would have dinner by the sea, before playing fair games on the boardwalk Makoto used to visit as a child. They'd play all night until the stalls closed and they'd take the train home.

On that Saturday, the swim team met up at the train station. Makoto and Haruka came together as always, Haruka's expression as bland as usual and Makoto with his smile on his face. Nagisa called them over excitedly, clad in a pink t-shirt and knee-length shorts. The longtime duo made their way over to the shorter blonde, who looked like he was going to burst from excitement.

"Ooh! I'm starving!" Nagisa exclaimed. "I'm looking forward to some good seafood. You too, right, Rei-chan?" Nagisa looked expectantly at the taller boy.

Rei adjusted his glasses. "Well, seafood is good for you. Fish are rich in protein, and contain many vitamins and minerals. However, we have to make sure we order whitefish and not oily fish. Whitefish is healthier, containing only 1 percent of fat, whereas oily fish can contain up to – "

"Rei-chan! It's just fish," Nagisa wailed, cutting him off. "We can eat healthy some other time. It's salmon season! Let's get some yummy salmon, eh, Haru-chan?"

Haruka looked at Nagisa. "Mackerel," he muttered.

Nagisa groaned. "Haru-chan, you only want mackerel… I know! Let's have both!"

Rei tried to explain more about fish nutrition to Nagisa, but his efforts were in vain as Nagisa was already checking out the nearby restaurants for salmon dishes. The megane shook his head and followed him.

Makoto smiled, but his smile faltered a little when he realized that Nagisa and Rei had already left the station before Gou arrived. "Ne, Nagisa, Gou-chan's not here yet, don't leave us behind…" His voice trailed off.

Haruka rolled his shoulders. "I'll catch up with them and let them know," he said. "Makoto, you stay here and wait for Kou. You can call my cell to find out which restaurant Nagisa picks." The dark-haired boy started to follow in Nagisa and Rei's direction of the boardwalk.

"Ah," Makoto tried to protest quietly, but gave up with a sigh as he saw Haruka walking away without another word. He shook his head and smiled, then began to wait patiently by a pillar.

He looked off in the distance at the clear ocean. It was the very same ocean that had claimed the lives of his childhood fisherman friend and Rin's father. Feeling his heart pang a little, Makoto wondered how everything would've turned out had that disaster not happened.

Makoto knew the answers. He wouldn't be afraid of the ocean, and would've probably loved it even more.

Rin would've been happier. Ever since his dad's death, he'd vowed to continue his dad's dream for him. Had the accident not happened, Rin would probably not have so much stress on himself. Without a grudge against Haruka, he'd have come back to Iwatobi, and the four of them would swim together…

_Hmm. _Makoto thought for a bit. If Rin had come back, they wouldn't have met Rei as there wouldn't be any need for a fifth member. Heck, they might've not even created their swim club if there wasn't any need to reconcile them with Rin through competitions. Makoto blinked as he also realized that they probably wouldn't be as close to Gou as they were now if all these incidents didn't lead up to the creation of the Iwatobi swim club.

_Gou-chan. _

At the thought of her name, Makoto felt his heart pang a little again, for a different reason. Since when did her smile, laughter and bright determination pop up in his mind at the mention of her name? Makoto flushed a little, and changed his standing position against the pillar.

He knew that life wouldn't be the same, had that incident not happened. He knew that he couldn't imagine life the way it is now, with the four of them in the swim team and Gou as the manager…

He shook his head. Why was he thinking about Gou all the time nowadays? He shifted his gaze around the train station, and a memory hit him like a rock.

Now he remembered how he'd seen Gou in another light in the first place.

* * *

"_Nagisa-kun!" Rei exclaimed, violently waving his arms around, nearly smacking into his fellow peers. "Give me back my glasses!"_

"_Only if you catch me!" Nagisa smiled widely, skipping a few paces ahead of the taller first-year. Rei swiped at the air, knocking Nagisa's arm and making the glasses fall onto the ground. Frowning, he fuddles around, picking them up and checking if they were broken._

"_Nagisa-kun, it's getting old," Rei said, glasses back on, trying to reclaim his dignity. Ignoring the giggles from the other students, Rei tried to walk out of the school as dignified as possible._

_Nagisa groaned. "But that's not fun, Rei-chan!" the two of them walked out of the school grounds, a few paces ahead of Haruka and Makoto._

_Makoto laughed. "Those two are the silliest idiots," he said. _

_Haruka looked at the first-years and shrugged. "They will never be mature," he said bluntly._

"_Ouch, Haru. That was harsh," Makoto said jokingly. The four guys waited for Gou outside the school gate, and no more than two minutes later, the younger Matsuoka sibling skipped happily towards them. "Let's go!" she chirped._

_The five made their way to the train station, where Makoto and Haruka would see the other three off before heading on their own way. "Bye!" Nagisa exclaimed from the platform, waving his hand high in the air. Rei waved too, a little more composed, and Gou gave a smile as her hands were full. The two second-years watched as the train left the station, before turning around to go home. But…_

"_Eh?" Makoto squinted a little. He should've worn his glasses. "Is that… Kou-chan's bag on the platform?"_

"_Where?" Haruka asked, turning around. Makoto pointed at a tote bag lying abandoned on a bench by the platform. "Isn't that the bag she uses to keep our swim club's reports?" Makoto asked._

_Haruka shrugged. "Probably just a bag some other girl left behind before their train." He turned back and continued on his way. _

"_Haru! It's important! We can't lose those reports!" Makoto exclaimed. Haruka sighed a little. He was tired, and a little irritable, and Makoto could be too much of a worrywart at times. _

"_I'll be heading home," Haruka said. He wanted to soak in his bathtub, not fuss over some look-a-like bag. "Kou isn't the forgetful type, especially not when it comes to the swim club. I'm pretty sure it's a look-a-like." _

_Makoto frowned at the tiny little bag on the bench. He _swore _it was her bag. "Haru, you can go on home. I'll check if it really is her bag. If it is, I'll keep it. We can't afford to lose those reports."_

_Haruka blinked. "Makoto," he said. _

_Makoto waved him away with a smile on his face. "I'll just get a ticket to get on the platform and grab it. A few hundred yen is worth not losing our reports. And if it isn't her bag, I'll bring it to lost and found. See? Two birds with one stone!"_

_Haruka shook his head, smiling a little. "You worrywart," he said, before going on his way. Makoto said bye, before jogging to the station and buying a ticket to get on the platform._

_As he neared the bench, he noticed the station was deserted. He shuddered a little, and quickly grabbed the flower tote bag. _Aha! _he thought triumphantly, seeing the words 'Matsuoka Gou' on a notebook inside. _I was right! These are our reports after all.

_He was about to leave with the bag when he saw some school books inside. And a wallet… and her phone! "Right… she used this bag today even though we didn't have swim practice…" he said to himself. Makoto clutched the phone in his hands, a little tempted to flip it open, before deciding not to invade her privacy. _

_Since he had already bought the ticket, Makoto decided to take the next train to Gou's house and return her bag. As the train chuffed along the tracks, Makoto stood by the doors, admiring the wonderful scenery. The afternoon light was bathing the landscape in warm orange, and Makoto smiled at the sight before him. _

_As he hadn't taken the train in quite a while, Makoto accidently got off at the wrong station. He yelped as the train took off without him, and sighed in defeat as he waited for the next train to arrive. It cost him fifteen extra minutes, and Makoto wondered if he'd get any unluckier. When the train pulled up, Makoto practically sprinted to the door (not there was any need to, as there were practically no passengers at that time). _

_Before long, the train pulled up at his stop. Makoto got off the train, smiling a little awkwardly at the man alighting the train who was scrutinizing his taste in bags. He covered the big embroidered flower as he exited the station, trying not to create any misunderstandings. _

_Makoto walked along the road to Gou's house. Waves of nostalgia hit him as he relished in memories of Haruka and him walking over to Rin's house to hang out. His feet stepped on the familiar path, stopping by the old, slightly rusted gate. _

_As he had taken his own sweet time to bask in the nostalgia, it had already been a good half hour since he left the train station. Adding in the fifteen minute journey and the extra fifteen minute delay, it was already 6PM. Creaking the gate open, Makoto tiptoed in quietly, taking in the surroundings. _

_Makoto raised his hand to knock on the door, before realizing how awkward it might be if her parents answered the door instead. He straightened up, adjusted his school uniform and cleared his throat to make a good impression. Makoto swiftly pressed the doorbell._

_He stood there for a moment in silence. Makoto raised an eyebrow before pressing the doorbell again. This time, there were some muffled sounds and footsteps. "Coming!" came a female's voice. It was so muffled through the door that Makoto couldn't tell if it was Gou's voice or her mom's. He braced himself for the latter._

_As the door creaked open, Makoto bowed down, smiling. "Sorry to bother you, Mrs. Matsuoka," he said. "I'm here to return something to Kou-chan – " His voice cut off as he realized who was standing before him – no, what she was wearing. _

_Gou was clad in a towel, drops of water on her arms and legs showing that she'd hastily run out to answer the door. She wasn't looking at Makoto, her head down as she toweled her hair with a smaller towel, but as she finished drying her hair, Gou looked up at the visitor. "My mom's not at home," she said, before realizing who the visitor was. _

"_Ma- Makoto-senpai?!" she exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here?" She seemed totally oblivious to the fact she was only wearing a towel. Makoto, on the other hand, was having a little freak-out session in his head. _

Her hair down… her slender arms… Don't ogle her Makoto! Guys shouldn't do that, _he thought to himself, blushing bright red as she continued to blink at him with those big ruby eyes. He turned around, trying to hide his flushed cheeks. "You… you can change first," he said, trying to camouflage his embarrassment with a chuckle. _

"_Huh? … AH! SORRY! I'll be right back!" Gou shrieked as she realized her attire. She ran up the steps clumsily, grabbing her towel. But before she disappeared from sight, she yelled from the staircase. "Makoto-senpai, make yourself at home! Give me five minutes!"_

_When he was sure Gou was out of sight (and therefore out of mind, he thought) Makoto heaved a sigh of relief. He felt like his cheeks couldn't get any hotter then. Trying to calm down and not visualize Gou clad in _only a towel _in his mind, he walked to the couch and plopped himself down._

Why am I still blushing? _Makoto questioned himself. _Well, I guess she is kinda pretty… _he mentally slapped himself. _Stop Makoto, stop. She's just a friend and the swim team's manager. Don't make things awkward.

_No more than seven minutes later, Gou came back down fully-dressed. Makoto gasped silently. She was wearing only a plain tee and shorts, but she still managed to look ravishing. Her long red tresses flowed down her back, framing her heart-shaped face. They were damp, and not in a ponytail for a change. Her eyes were smiling, and soon Makoto found himself smiling back at her._

She's not pretty. She's _gorgeous. _

"_Ahaha, sorry about that just now," she said sheepishly, cheeks tinted pink. "We don't usually get visitors." _

"_It's alright," Makoto reassured her. She grinned widely, and Makoto found his grin widening too. The fact that she could laugh it off so easily was endearing to him. He could _never _do that if it were the other way round._

"_Ah! I'll get you a drink!" she exclaimed. As she came back from the kitchen with two packet drinks and offered one to him, Gou sat down on the couch next to him. Makoto flushed. _

"_Makoto-senpai?" Her voice brought him out of his fantasies and back to reality. Makoto blinked twice before comprehending her question. "Yes?" he answered._

"_Was there a reason you came over?" she asked. _

"_Right! I almost forgot," Makoto laughed. He handed the bag back to her. "You left this on the train platform."_

_Gou's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh! I can't believe I forgot this! Thank you so much, Makoto-senpai!"_

_Makoto smiled. "Well then, that's it. Thanks for the drink Kou-chan, but I'll be heading back now. And…" He blushed a little again. "Sorry for just now."_

_Gou laughed. It was music to his ears._

"_It's alright," she said, mimicking exactly what he had said moments ago. Makoto found himself chuckling next to her, and soon the topic strayed…_

"_Wow. It's been an hour," Makoto said, looking at his watch. "I can't believe we talked so long. Well, I really need to go now or my mom will worry."_

"_Okay," Gou said chirpily. As Makoto got up to leave, she grabbed his wrist suddenly. Makoto stopped in his tracks. _What is she doing?

"_I had fun talking to you, Makoto-senpai," she said slowly. Even though his back was to her, Makoto could practically feel her smile radiating off his back. "I'd like to talk like that again soon."_

_He turned around and smiled. "Me too," he said. Then he asked her something he never thought he would - _

"_Can I call you Gou?" _

_Gou looked surprised. Makoto covered his mouth with his hand almost immediately. _Makoto you big idiot! Of course she's going to protest! Why did you ruin the mood –

"_Sure."_

_Makoto blinked at her. Gou smiled back at him, and nodded her head. "I'd love for Makoto-senpai to call me that," she said. _

_Makoto broke out in a grin he didn't know he had been suppressing. "What a surprise! Alright then, see you tomorrow… Gou-chan." _

_Gou waved as she saw him off. _

"_Makoto-senpai!" _

* * *

"Makoto-senpai!"

"HUH? What… Gou-chan!" Makoto nearly got a heart attack when he saw the manager standing next to him, looking at him curiously. "Goodness, you scared me. When did you get here?" he asked.

She laughed. "I've been standing here for the past five minutes! I think you were daydreaming or something."

Makoto laughed sheepishly. "Yeah, you could say that." There was an obvious silence between the two before Makoto realized what he was supposed to do. "Oh! I'll call Haru to find out where they are."

_Gosh that was awkward, _Makoto thought as the dial tone rang in his ear. _I hope I wasn't drooling or something. _"Ah, Haru! Gou-chan's here … third one on the left? … okay, thanks."

Makoto hung up and smiled at Gou. "Third restaurant on the left. Haru said there was an advert on mackerel and that we couldn't miss it."

Gou laughed, that familiar sound ringing once again like an angel's voice. "Haruka-senpai and his mackerel," she giggled.

Makoto chuckled, and extended a hand to her. He was rather happy when he saw her flush a little at the action. "Shall we?" he smiled at her.

Gou gaped a little, before nodding enthusiastically. Holding hands, the captain and the manager made their way to the restaurant, talking about random things and admiring the scenery.

"… ah, Haru-chan, Rei-chan," Nagisa sighed happily, looking at the scene from his window seat in the small eatery. "Those two are so adorable together!"

Haruka looked up from his menu and turned to see Makoto and Gou holding hands and laughing. He smiled knowingly.

And for that dinner, neither both Makoto nor Gou could figure out why the swim team were smiling at them the entire meal.

* * *

**Haru supports MakoGou hahaha. :D Also, here's where I'd like to ask you guys something - should I end the story like this, or write just one or two more chapters? I wanted to explore their relationship a bit more since these two are only crushing now, but that's up to you! Let me know, yeah? :3 **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews! I'm sorry for not updating in a while. The holidays are here, and the fanfic bug has struck! The fluff in this chapter awww. I hope you guys enjoy your dose of MakoGou!**

**This takes place a few weeks after the second chapter, and in that few weeks, their relationship seems to have gotten stronger... ;) Rin makes an appearance here yay! For those who requested Jealous!Rin, but he's not what he seems... ;)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Free! but the second season better have more MakoGou hints! **

* * *

"I'm home," Rin called out, kicking off his shoes haphazardly and shrugging off his jacket. The weather was cool outside, but Rin still wore his favorite tank top, barren and worn at the edges. He liked to think of it as his battle suit. As he stepped into the living room, Rin found that the lights were off in the house and it was eerily quiet except for the tick-tock of the clock.

"Hello? Mom? Gou? Is anyone home?" No answer. Rin sighed as he slumped onto the couch. He plopped his bags on the floor.

It was Friday night, around seven, and he'd decided to come back for the weekend to take care of his mom and sister. How should he have known they'd run off by themselves? Popping open a can of Coke he'd bought from the train station, Rin sipped on his drink as he took in the mess on the table.

The living room table was low, and currently piled with magazines, Gou's schoolwork, and numerous remotes. Rin huffed, moving around the papers as he searched for the TV remote. However, his eyes caught on a tiny little red book hidden carefully under Gou's geography papers.

"Hm?" Rin picked the book up and flipped through it absent-mindedly. Until he realized that he was flipping through his sister's secret diary. Rin's eyes widened. He felt a little guilty, but Gou was his little sister, and he should know if anyone was causing her trouble. Or worse – _dating her. _The pages were covered in Gou's tiny, neat handwriting. Rin scowled, and read the pages, looking for a name with hearts next to it or something.

The diary opened on a page. Rin peered at the objects wedged in, propping the page. "Polaroid photos?" There were about five photos which Rin observed carefully. Gou had taken solos with each of the swim team members, and there was a group one too. What made Rin take in a sharp breath was that on the frame of the Polaroid she'd taken with Makoto, there was a small heart drawn in Sharpie.

"Why you…." Rin silently cursed as he tried not to bend the photo. Date his little sister? HA! Gou would always be under Rin's protection, no matter what. "Don't think it'll last, cause I will kill you!" Rin exclaimed. It took him a while to realize he was talking to the photo. He sighed, and wedged the photo back in the book.

Then his eyes fell on the page.

_Dear diary,_

_Last night was wonderful! I went out with the team to grab dinner by the sea. Nagisa ordered the best sushi I've ever tasted, and Rei gave us all a talk on the healthiness of fish. Well, that's Rei for you._

_Afterwards, we went to the boardwalk. There were so many fascinating games! Haruka-senpai won a stuffed rabbit which he offered to me. I politely refused though, as I don't really care for stuffed toys, but Nagisa gleefully took it when I gave it to him. As for me, I didn't really play, but for the games I did play, I sucked terribly. I guess my clumsiness never went away. _

_Makoto-senpai was super nice to me last night. First I met him at the train station. He was sleeping against the pillar, how cute! 3 We held hands to the restaurant, and later at night, he won me a cute panda ornament. It's on my bedside table, and I can see it every night before I go to bed._

_Dear diary, I wonder what I feel for Makoto-senpai. And I wonder what he feels for me? Sometimes it feels one-sided, and sometimes, like last night, it feels like everything is perfect. I do wish that he'd just tell me straight up, but as everyone knows, he's quite the chicken. Such a dork, but I like him all the same. Forever will I cherish that night. _

Rin's eyebrows rose. So Gou and Makoto weren't dating, but she had feelings for him. Rin hadn't been with them for a bit, so he couldn't know if Makoto had mutual feelings or not. But… even if he did, Rin couldn't stand another guy protecting and loving his little sister. It was his… job! Rin breathed in, and breathed out, trying to calm down.

Then he realized there was a tiny little paragraph squeezed at the bottom of the page, as if it was written as a last minute afterthought.

_P.S. The news said a meteor shower might happen next Friday. We're going to check it out for fun! I wonder what will happen? _

That was when Rin slammed the book shut. It was 'next Friday' _today, _looking at the date the diary entry was written. He got up, shrugged his jacket back on, slipped on his shoes, and went back out. "What are the chances they'd actually see a shooting star?" Rin wondered out loud. But that wasn't the point. The point was, his sister was alone with four guys in the dark, where the only lights were the moon and stars, and who knows what could happen?

Especially since his sister's crush was there. Rin knew Gou well enough that he had to keep an eye on things.

* * *

"Ah," Nagisa sighed happily as he flopped onto the freshly-cut grass. The meteor shower viewing was taking place on a small short grassy hill, and although it was expected to start around nine, many families and couples were already there, having dinner while watching the beautiful night sky.

"Nagisa, you'll get dirty," Makoto said as he laid out Haruka's picnic mat. "Sit on this instead." The others were taking out the food containers and drinks. They were going to have dinner under the stars.

The blonde rolled over onto the mat and stretched out his arms. "Gou-chan! Feed me!" he said cheekily, opening his mouth wide and pointing into it.

Gou opened the container with a pop. The delicious smell of the fried chicken she'd prepared wafted out, making them all salivate. She handed a piece to Nagisa, who popped it into his mouth. He chewed it with an expression that could only be described as bliss.

The rest of the containers were opened, and the swim team officially began their dinner. Fried noodles and rice were distributed evenly, crackers were shared, and dessert was little homemade cupcakes by Haruka. And of course, the mackerel too. After chewing a few bites of the fried rice, Gou opened a bottle of Coke and set to pouring the fizzy drink into little paper cups.

"Let me help, Gou-chan," Makoto said, smiling as he took the cup from her hand and handed it to Rei. Gou flushed slightly as his fingers had brushed her hand. "Thank you, Makoto-senpai," she said sweetly.

When everyone had their Coke and food in their bellies, only did the quiet hill start to get a little noisy. Children were chasing each other and playing tag, and they screamed in joy as Nagisa decided to join in and chase them. Rei had found a scientific partner and the two meganes were discussing meteor showers and their occurrences. Haruka was quiet, looking at the sky, as if willing it to fall soon. He wasn't bored, however, as his lips were curled into a faint smile.

Makoto laid on his back, looking at the sky as well. He turned his head to look at Gou, who was sitting on the mat to his right. She hugged her knees to her chest, eyes wide and mouth slightly open in awe. Makoto followed her gaze to the moon, which was full and brightly illuminated her silhouette, making her even more beautiful in his eyes, if that was even possible.

Makoto was aware of his feelings for Gou by now. His only worry was that she didn't feel the same way. Gou was pretty, cheerful, kind and just about the most amazing girl he'd met. He was sure it wasn't a mere crush – countless times he'd questioned himself, did he like her as a friend or more? Countless times he'd lied to himself, saying that she was just a friend, a kouhai, their manager, nothing more. It took quite a while for him to give in and accept the fact that Gou Matsuoka made his knees weak in the best way. Makoto wondered if he'd ever be brave enough to take the risk and tell her…

He turned his head to the left. Gou was distracting him – terribly. He wanted to reach over and tuck the loose strands of gorgeous red tresses behind her ear, sit close to her and feel her warmth against him, watch the meteors fall with her, make a wish. As he turned, he widened his eyes. Haruka was observing him quietly. "Haru?" Makoto asked.

Haruka said nothing. His gaze was on Makoto, and the next instant on Gou, and back to Makoto again. With a smile so small you couldn't tell it was a smile unless you knew him well, Haruka got up with a grunt and walked down the hill towards Nagisa and the kids.

Makoto's mouth opened in a silent gasp. Haruka had left him all alone… with Gou. _That sneaky little… _Makoto flushed when he realized once again what Haruka had done. _I'm all alone… with Gou. Under the moonlit night sky, waiting for falling stars. _

Makoto tried to compose himself. He sat up, and took a few breaths. Suddenly, he heard a soft sneeze. Then another. And another. Makoto turned his head, and saw Gou trying to stifle her sneezes, her body shuddering with the cold. Makoto should've known – it was early November, and she was wearing only a short-sleeved shirt with a thin cardigan and jeans. Acting on impulse, he pulled his jacket over his head and gently draped it over her shoulders.

* * *

Gou could feel her cheeks getting hot as Makoto stared at her. She let out a soft sigh of relief when he turned to look at Haruka instead. Gou knew that she definitely had feelings for Makoto by now – she had even written it in her diary. However, she knew Makoto was out of her league. He was her senpai, on the swim team – with an _amazing _body, kind and gentlemanly to boot. There was no way he could ever fall for her.

Gou knew that when she wrote her diary entry she was probably overanalyzing things. But surely there was nothing wrong with being hopeful? She turned her head to Makoto, wanting to say something to break the silence, but then noticed that he'd sat up and was staring at where Haruka – wait, what?

Gou felt the heat rush to her cheeks again. Haruka had left them alone, that cheeky little… She pouted and tried to make her face stop burning. She failed, however, and the worst thing was, her nose decided to get ticklish and she sneezed. _Oh crap. _

Gou tried to sneeze as politely and gracefully as possible. She did _not _want snot dripping down her nose with Makoto so near. However the sneezes just couldn't stop, and Gou figured it must've been the cold. She should've worn a thicker outer layer. Gou cursed herself silently.

The chilly wind blew. Gou sneezed again, and now she definitely knew she should've worn a thicker cardigan. Suddenly, she felt something weigh on her shoulders, and suddenly her arms didn't feel as cold. She breathed in the smell of apples. _Makoto-senpai…? _

"Are you cold?" came his silky voice. Gou turned to look at his perfect face, and prayed that her nose wasn't red or runny. Before she could answer, another sneeze came. _Oh gosh, this is embarrassing. _However, Makoto surprised her by inching closer and putting his arm around her. She surprised herself by falling against him, her head against his shoulder. _Now _she was sure her nose was red, along with every single part of her face. She looked up at him, and was a little surprised to see his face tinted pink as well.

"Warmer?" he asked. Gou nodded, and smiled. "Thank you, Makoto-senpai," she said softly. They sat in silence for a while, watching Nagisa and Rei (whose science buddy had left) and Haruka play catch with a ball and the children. Well, Nagisa and Haruka were. Rei was failing terribly. Makoto and Gou giggled at the same time, and paused upon hearing the other's laughter.

"Thank you all for bringing me here tonight," Gou said softly. Makoto watched her take in her surroundings, as if she had just arrived. The wind, albeit cold, was blowing gently, making the leaves rustle. The moon bathed the hill and the plants in a glow, and at the foot of the hill were traditional Japanese houses with lights on, lights off. Far away, after the houses, the sea could be made out, reflecting the moon. The scenery was gorgeous. "This is a beautiful place."

"It is, isn't it?" They sat like that, bodies close, head on shoulder, taking in the serenity and peacefulness of Iwatobi. Both of them, faces still pink, were both curious about what the other thought of this.

_Makoto-senpai is close. His body is warm, and his voice makes me calm. It feels so right to have my head against his shoulder… but why did he come so close after giving me his jacket? Why did he let me lie on his shoulder? He could've stayed far away… _

_Gou-chan is close. Her body is warm, and her voice makes me calm. It feels so right to have her head against my shoulder… but why did she place her head on my shoulder? Why didn't she push my arm away? She could've stayed far away…_

They both decided to ask the other. "Why did you…" "Why did Makoto-senpai…"

They both paused, not wanting to interrupt the other. "Ah, anno, you can go first," Makoto said sheepishly. "No, it's alright senpai, you speak first," Gou said awkwardly.

It took a few seconds of mumbling to decide who'd go first. When Gou opened her mouth to say something…

"GUYS! I SAW ONE!"

The two inwardly groaned and turned to look at Nagisa. His face was bright as he ecstatically pointed at the sky. "Look! The shower's starting!"

Right at that moment, another star fell. And another. And another. The meteors were falling, and people were oohing and staring in awe. Some took pictures while some clasped their hands and made wishes. Gou gasped in delight, clasping her hands together, closing her eyes. Makoto took a while to register what was going on, before smiling and making a wish as well.

_I wish…_

Finishing their wishes, Makoto and Gou looked at each other. They both laughed at how random it was, even though they were expecting a shower anyway. "Yes, Gou-chan? What was it you wanted to ask me?" Makoto asked, continuing their subject.

Gou opened her mouth. _What do you think of me? _"What did you wish for?" _Crap! You idiot, Gou! _

Makoto furrowed his eyebrows and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well… If I told you, it wouldn't come true," he fumbled an excuse. He did _not _want Gou to know what he wished for. Not unless he knew if she felt the same way.

"Oh," Gou said, a little disappointed. _Well, that didn't turn out like I expected… _

"Gou-chan. You're a brave girl. You like taking risks, don't you?" Makoto said. _What am I doing? _he asked himself. _Am I seriously going to do this? _

Gou mocked a superhero by placing both hands on her waist and puffing out her chest. "Of course!" she joked. _What is he going to do? _

Makoto laughed. "Well then, promise me one thing," Makoto said. He inched closer, turning his face to hers. Her ruby eyes stared straight into his emerald ones. "Yes?" Gou asked softly.

"I can't tell you what I wished for, but I can show you. Promise me this will be between us only?"

As his face drew closer, Gou slowly closed her eyes. "Of course," she whispered, right before his lips met hers.

_...that Gou will let me kiss her. _

* * *

Rin could feel his eyes bugging out of their sockets. His baby sister – Gou, was kissing – _kissing – _Makoto. Makoto Tachibana. Captain of the Iwatobi Swim Team, childhood friend of his. Human puppy Makoto.

Surprisingly, he didn't feel as angry as he should. Perhaps it was he could tell that Gou was happy, and if Gou was happy, so was Rin. His sister's happiness meant the world to him. He sighed, and put down the binoculars. Scratching his arms, he cursed the mosquitoes living in the bush he was hiding in, a few meters away from where Makoto and Gou sat.

Rin could feel his sister's happiness radiating off him, and smiled as he stood up to leave. He'd keep this a secret from their mom – for now. She'd find out eventually. As for Makoto, well, Rin wouldn't kill him… he might end up with a broken arm though.

"Just kidding," Rin laughed to himself as he walked away. But if Makoto ever _did _hurt his sister, he'd make sure that he'd hurt Makoto too. Knowing Makoto, however, Rin knew that he wouldn't even think about hurting her. Silently, Rin wished them happiness.

* * *

"Mako-chaaaaaaaan! Gou-chaaaaaaaan!" The two parted upon hearing their names. Wide-eyed, hair messy, lips swollen and cheeks flushed, the two of them smiled and placed their foreheads together. Finally, _finally, _they knew that their feelings were mutual. _What a relief, _both Makoto and Gou thought. It was only then did they register that someone was calling their names deviously.

"Na… Nagisa?!" Makoto exclaimed. The blonde shota was smiling from eye to eye, and with the two figures behind him close by, Makoto and Gou realized the entire swim team had seen everything. They blushed profusely.

"I _knew _you two had a thing for each other!" Nagisa chirped happily. "So, are you dating now?"

"Nagisa-kun, it's not nice to butt into people's relationships," Rei said sternly, but his eyes were smiling.

Makoto turned to Haruka. They exchanged glances, before Haruka gave him a knowing smile. Makoto's eyes widened, and he smiled back.

"Well, I wouldn't say that now," Makoto replied to Nagisa, holding Gou's hand and smiling at her, "but I do think that we might… someday? Sometime?"

"Would you like to?" Gou grinned. "I certainly would."

The night filled with cheers and joy as Makoto pulled Gou into a hug, both smiling widely. "I never expected this," Makoto told her.

"Everything, Makoto, is unexpected," Gou whispered, before pressing her lips to his again. "And for that, I am glad."

* * *

**Aaaaaand with that, the main storyline of Unexpected is finished! It was a random thought which turned into a story I'm very happy with. Thank you all for reading, and reviewing and following and favoriting this story, it has been a wonderful journey with you. I love all of you!  
**

**_HOWEVER this does not mean Unexpected has ended! _At least not technically. Think of this story as a prequel to another one. If you guys want it, I'll continue to write about Makoto and Gou's relationship in a sequel story as I have fallen too much in love with them to end! D: leave your thoughts in a review, and suggest some names for the sequel maybe?  
**

**Thank you all! ~Love, Carys  
**


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